by KD Jones
Lola used sign language and Lizzie interpreted, “She won’t be able to communicate with you unless I am there too.”
He didn’t look at Lizzie as he spoke, “But she can read my lips and know what I am saying correct?”
“Yes,” Lizzie answered him.
“That will be enough. Would you walk with me over to the balcony? I will not take too long,” Prime ConEL said, looking directly at her so she could read his lips.
Lola nodded her head. What could he want from her? She felt a little nervous. She wasn’t used to being alone with a man, not since the Morins took her.
Once they were out on the balcony ConEL turned to face her. He spoke slowly so she wouldn’t have a hard time reading his lips.
“I just wanted to apologize to you.”
Why? She asked with her eyes?
“I didn’t know the Morins had taken you. Over the years they had female captives. But for a while there had been none readily available. I didn't know they had acquired more. If I had known you were there, I would have tried to help somehow.”
She struggled to make her voice work for her. It was an awkward sound. She shook her head. “Not…your…fault.”
He looked in her dark eyes. “What the Morins did to you was not your fault either. Don’t let them win by keeping you from living your life.” He bowed and walked away.
Lola watched him leave then she turned around to look out over the grassy ravine below. There was a small creek that ran through it. Her surroundings were calm and serene, but she felt neither of those things on the inside. She breathed in the sweet clean air and closed her eyes. ConEL was right. She was still letting the Morins hold her hostage by not moving on with her life. She needed to do that somehow. But how?
*****
“This will help her?” LarIS asked Dr. Garrett who he had brought to his suite.
“You asked what you could do to help Miss Marquesa. This is my suggestion.”
“How am I to find her a job? What does she know how to do?”
“I believe her career on Earth was a teacher of the hearing impaired children.”
“She cannot teach if she cannot hear.”
“Find someone she can use her abilities with.” Dr. Garrett made her way out of the suite. She hoped Leader LarIS could find something. She really did feel that Miss Marquesa needed to find a purpose with her life. Something that gave her meaning. Something to look forward to.
*****
“She says you suck at this.” Lizzie laughed as she translated what Lt. Daniels had said.
Lola glared at her smiling mischievous friend and signed, “She did not say that. I read her lips. She said I needed lots of practice.”
“Same thing,” Lizzie said so Lola could read her lips.
Lola turned back to Lt. Daniels who was trying to show her the correct defense stance. She watched the taller woman as she went through the motions more slowly. She mimicked all her moves. The other woman was amazing, strong, confident, and beautiful. All the things that Lola wished that she was.
She flipped her dark braid behind her back. She had originally wore jogging pants and a large bulky sweatshirt over top of a white tank top. She learned quickly that doing physical exercises outside in the hot sun in sweats was not the thing to do. She was soaked top to bottom. She finally took off the sweatshirt. That cooled her off some but there wasn’t anything she could do about the bottoms. She took her socks and shoes off though.
“Okay. So come at me. I’ll show you how to use your opponents speed and weight to throw them to the ground so you can make your escape,” Lucy said, looking at her, giving her the opportunity to read her lips.
Lola nodded. Then she ran forward toward the taller woman. It happened so quick, she almost had her hands on Lt. Daniels. The other woman gripped her and twisted, throwing Lola into the air and then she hit the ground—hard.
“Ouch,” Lizzie said, standing there watching her.
“Lola!” LarIS screamed her name as he came running to their training area. He pushed Lt. Daniels out of the way to get to her.
“She’s fine, just had the wind knocked out of her,” Lt. Daniels told him.
“You could have hurt her!” LarIS glared.
'Stop yelling at her. I’ll be fine as soon as I catch my breath.' Lola used her mental connection to speak to LarIS.
'What were you thinking? You could have been hurt? Why would Lt. Daniels attack you?' LarIS moved her hair out of her face and hovered over her.
'She didn’t attack me. I was learning defensive moves. Lt. Daniels did nothing wrong so stop yelling at her.' She gave him a look that said that she meant business.
“Leave us alone,” LarIS ordered everyone to move away.
Lola sat up and nodded her head at Lizzie and Lt. Daniels. They walked back toward the main building. It left her completely alone with LarIS for the first time.
LarIS kept touching her as if making sure she wasn’t harmed. She didn’t push his hands away. His touch was gentle and soothing. And he smelled so good. With her losing a sense, all her other senses had expanded. The man’s scent was incredible: warm, spicy, woodsy, and delicious. She could almost taste him.
He looked into her dark eyes and felt himself drowning in her. Goddess help him, he wanted this female in the worst way. He saw her shocked expression. Had he sent her his thoughts?
Lola tried to ignore the way his thoughts about her affected her. But her body was responding against her will. The man was too sexy for his own good. Why did he have to make her feel this way? Then she realized, this was her chance.
'LarIS, I have something I wanted to say to you.' She called his name through the mental link.
'Yes, beautiful. What is it?' He caressed her cheek.
'I wanted to tell you…thank you for saving me.'
Chapter Six
“What are the security details for the Colony?” the Morin Leader asked his lieutenant.
“All three nations have increased their security around their planet. The Colony is the least protected. There might be an opening but it will be a small window in which we can act.”
“What about the wormhole the strange females came from? Have you located it yet?”
“We have tried to track their communications from the Katieran home world to their transports. But it is encrypted and kept too short to track.”
“I want that location of the wormhole!” the Morin Leader yelled, causing spittle to shoot from his mouth.
“Yes, sir.”
*****
“I was not that bad!” Lola signed, disagreeing with Lizzie who was teasing her about their first training session with Lt. Daniels.
Lizzie laughed and signed back, “You looked like you were a mouse trying to tackle a giant.”
“It’s not my fault the Lt. has legs a mile high!” Lola laughed with Lizzie. It was good to have a friend she could be herself with.
“She is strong too. I thought I had her in my grasp and she tossed me like I weighed nothing,” Lizzie added then took a sip of her water.
“She is strong. I will have bruises tomorrow for sure.” Lola agreed.
“Did you want to go to the Medic Wing and have them treat us for our aches and pains?” Lizzie asked with concern.
“No. It’s actually good to feel the small aches. It reminds me that I have a body and it still can function. It’s a good thing.” Something moved up next to her as she sat there. She turned and looked up. It was Leader LarIS.
LarIS hoped he didn’t mess everything up. He had been practicing for a while. He lifted his hands and signed, “May I join you two for the Evening Meal?”
Lola was shocked. He always spoke to her mind-to-mind. He was making an effort to speak to her in a way that was more comfortable for her. She nodded her head at the empty seat next to her. She tried not to smile when he turned his seat at an angle so he could communicate with her.
“When did you learn sign language?” Lola asked him.
“Miss Connell gave me some videos to watch and has been giving me some private sessions in the afternoons.”
Lizzie blushed. “He’s a quick study.”
Lola felt for a moment the bite of jealousy. Why would she feel that? What did it matter that he spent time with another woman, her best friend in fact. She shouldn’t feel anything at all.
'I did it for you. I have no interest in your friend though she is quite attractive. She has not capture my attention as you have.' LarIS spoke to her using his telepathic link to her. He had sensed the change in her mood immediately and sought to find the cause. It secretly pleased him that she was jealous that another woman might want him. That had to mean something right?
'Don’t read my mind without my permission.' She glared at him. Then her temper flared into something else entirely when she glanced down at his full lips. No man should have lips that kissable. She realized her thoughts had strayed into dangerous territory and glanced up to see if he caught her slip. By the twinkle in his strange yet beautiful eyes and the lift at the corner of his lips, he had. 'Damn you!'
'I would apologize but I am enjoying this too much.' He laughed at her discomfort. Her face turned a very appealing pink shade. She had the most beautiful complexion, much lighter than his own tanned skin. She had high cheekbones and the cutest bow lips. Her dark brown hair curved down around her lovely face in waves. And those eyes of hers. Dark brown with the strange black pupils were so different from his own with the gold pupils. She took his breath away.
“Are ya’ll talkin' with your minds?” Lizzie asked out loud.
“Yes. My apologies for leaving you out, Dr. Connell.” LarIS used sign language so Lola knew what they were saying.
“Call me Lizzie please.” Lizzie gave him a bright smile.
Lola felt that uneasy feeling of jealousy return.
“If you will call me LarIS.” He was looking at Lola when he signed it. He noticed Lola collecting her silverware preparing to leave. He had to stop her. He gently touched her shoulder to get her attention. “I am actually here for a reason. I wanted to see if the two of you would be willing to help me with some of my people who reside in the mountains.”
“Help them in what way?” Lola asked, feeling a little bit intrigued.
“The Colonists are what the Katierans and the Kiljorns would have referred to as rejects, the most extreme of the mutations caused by the Morin Virus. The ones that chose to move themselves to the mountains are some of the rejects of the rejects. Some have no sight but have other abilities such as seeing the past or future. Some cannot speak and some cannot hear. There are some I do not even know what mutation they have because they keep it so secret.”
“Why are they so remote from everyone? Do the rest of you guys treat them badly?” Lola signed.
“Of course not. They are just as much a part of our society as the rest of us. But it is hard for them to communicate and sometimes their differences become a hindrance to them. They made the choice to live in a small village on the mountainside. I and a group of people take them supplies every two weeks to check on them.”
“Ya’ll have such high techy stuff, can’t something be done for ‘em?” Lizzie asked with a frown.
It was Lola that replied. “Technology can only do so much. It doesn’t fix everything. Even if it gave people their sight back, that would cause more trouble with their other senses that have grown and compensated for the loss of a sensory.”
LarIS smiled. “I knew you would understand. That’s why I was hoping you would agree to come with me tomorrow. Meet them, maybe help them find a different way to communicate. Maybe teach them your silent language.”
Lola nodded her head. “I can’t speak for Lizzie, but I would love to accompany you.”
LarIS’s smile grew wider. “Wonderful.” Remembering the other female was there, he turned his head her way for her answer.
“Count me in. Sounds real interesting.”
*****
The next morning Lola and Lizzie met LarIS outside the main Colonial building. He was standing there with Commander TylOR and AshOR. The three men were quite a sight to behold. They were all tall, well built, and good-looking. But it was LarIS that held Lola’s attention. He was simply gorgeous with the sun shining down on his red hair. Her breath caught when he looked up and locked eyes on her. Then he smiled and she felt the world tilt a little. How the hell was she supposed to be around a man that made her hyperventilate with just a look?
“Good morning. Are you ready to leave?” LarIS greet the two females.
Lola couldn’t take her eyes off LarIS. She nodded her greeting to the other two men but didn’t look their way.
“Are ya’ll coming too?” Lizzie asked with a frown on her face when she saw Commander TylOR and his brother.
“I will not be able to attend, but AshOR is going to accompany you,” TylOR responded, glaring at his brother. He was not happy with the arrangement at all.
AshOR gave the two females a very charming smile, but he winked at Lizzie and bent to take her hand in his. “It is my pleasure to be your escort for today.” TylOR growled from the side. When AshOR released Lizzie, he turned toward Lola making an attempt to grasp her hand but he was blocked.
LarIS moved to stand between Lola and AshOR. He turned so Lola wouldn't be able to read his lips. “Miss Marquesa doesn't like to be touched. You will keep your hands to yourself or I will remove them from your body permanently.”
AshOR looked at his old leader with mild shock. He knew the male favored the damaged female, but he had no idea it was this serious. He held up his hands and backed away. “Yes, Leader LarIS.”
LarIS turned back to Lola and pointed in the direction of the waiting shuttle. “Shall we go?”
Lola nodded and walked ahead of him. She turned to watch Commander TylOR tracking Lizzie closely as she walked past him without giving him a second look. His brother gave her another wink, which caused his brother to whack him in the back of his head. She giggled. They were definitely brothers.
'What is so funny?' LarIS asked, using his telepathic link to her.
'It’s kind of funny to see adult siblings acting like young siblings,’ she told him, pointing back at the two men in question.
LarIS looked back at the two brothers who were arguing and then as AshOR stormed away with a frown on his face. 'It is hard to believe they haven't known each other barely a year.'
'I had so many siblings we couldn’t stand one another,' Lola admitted.
'How many siblings do you have?' This was the first time she had spoken of her family.
'There are eight of us kids. Even by Earth standards it is a lot to have.' She took his hand as he helped her onto the shuttle.
He showed her to a seat that was diagonal from his co-pilot’s seat. It would allow him to look back at her easier. 'Were they upset that you chose to come to Katiera?'
She shook her head. 'My mom got pregnant again. She and my father argued over the pregnancy. It was an unauthorized pregnancy and they already had eight of us. The government decreed that if you got pregnant prior to having approval, you had to apply for a license in order to keep the baby. My mom wanted to get the license but my dad didn’t. It was becoming too financially hard for them. So my leaving actually helped them. They wanted me to bring my younger sisters but they were underage for the application and I wasn’t their legal guardian.'
'I do not understand how the Earth World Government can have such laws.' LarIS made sure her seat belt was secure before he sat down in the co-pilot’s seat. AshOR sat in the pilot’s seat beside him.
'I don’t agree with everything they did, but you have to understand the combined world governments were desperate to save the planet. Our planet is dying, and it cannot provide enough natural resources to support the overpopulation problem of its inhabitants.' Lola looked at Lizzie who raised her eyebrow at her. She signed the question, “What is it?”
“Are you guys talking mind-to-mind again? You both ge
t this weird expression on your faces, it's kind of cute because they match,” Lizzie told her half laughing as she faced Lola so she could read her lips.
“Shut up, Lizzie. You want to explain what’s going on with you, Commander TylOR, and his brother?”
Lizzie stopped laughing. “Nothing is going on.” She turned away.
Lola immediately felt bad. Lizzie was a true friend and had been only kind to her. She touched her friend’s arm to get her attention. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business. Please don’t be angry with me.”
Lizzie patted her knee reassuringly. “Na, I’m not mad. But I can’t talk about them right now.”
“Okay. Just know that I am here for you.”
Lizzie nodded her head and turned to look at the viewing screen. “Wow, what a view.”
Chapter Seven
That was an understatement. Lola watched the viewing screen as the shuttle flew over the Colonial city moving toward one of the nearby mountains. It was incredible. All the lush green trees and the strange colored flowers. She wanted to go exploring through the trails. But that would be too dangerous to do without a guide to go with her.
She watched as they flew high up over the mountain. It was so far from the Colonial city, so remote the only way to the village was by shuttle. She saw the landing field, which was a cleared area. Smoke stacks further away showed her where the village was probably located.
Lola felt a little nervous. She wasn’t sure what to expect. Normally she always researched a place before visiting, she even read everything she could about Katiera before ever applying to relocate. She didn’t like going somewhere she didn’t know what to expect.
The shuttle softly landed and LarIS unbuckled his seat belt. He turned to her. “Stay here until I explain to the village leader who you are.”
Lola nodded her head. Lizzie also agreed to remain seated. She watched him as he ordered AshOR to unload the supplies. It was clear to her the two men had been here numerous times. That did make her feel a little bit better. LarIS wouldn't let anything happen to her, she felt that to her core.